Oh So Pretty
by jemisard
Summary: Zell feels pretty silly like this. He only hopes someone else finds it worse. Rating just in case boys and skirts is offensive to someone.


It was the worst Halloween on record.

Zell stared at the costume bag sceptically. "Selphie... remind me. Why am I agreeing to do this?"

Selphie beamed at him with that irritatingly bright and happy smile. "Because it's compulsory. Any SeeDs found not in attendance are docked the next months pay!"

"Right." He took the bag. "And Squall agreed to this why?"

She tapped her nose. "Trade secret, sweetheart." She poiked his nose. "Go get changed. You won't any more silly than anyone else. That's why this will work."

He sighed and nodded. "All right. Are you sure it's only a month's pay?"

"Might be two if you back out now." She posed and grinned wider. "See you at eight with your invitation."

"Yeah yeah...." he closed the door on her before she started bouncing again.

He hung the bag up in his bedroom and unzipped it. He saw a flash of pastel blue and yellow, gold and sapphire glitter and sequins and jewels.

He pushed apart the bag, stared blankly and let it close again.

He blinked.

He opened the bag once again and stared for the count of three.

Then there was a blood curdling scream heard from one side of Garden to other and Zell fainted.

When Zell came around, half an hour had passed. He sat up, stretched and popped his back.

The bag loomed in the corner, sucking the light into itself.

He stood up and walked over to it slowly, keeping his gaze firmly on it. Maybe it would attack him and he'd be forced to kill it.

A man could dream.

He pushed the bag off the hanger and it slipped to the floor, passive and non threatening.

A small note clung to the material. 'Zell- In case you need motivation to wear it'.

He opened the note and scanned the contents.

Then he started to laugh.

The costume didn't look so bad anymore. Even if it was a girl's costume.

He shucked his own clothes quickly, kicking his boots into one corner and dumping everything else in the laundry hamper. As per instructions, he changed out of boxers and into bikini briefs... he couldn't be expected to do martial arts in anything that let them hang free now.

He eyed the tights off suspiciously and sat down to work it out. There was a set of diagrams... drawn by Selphie at any guess.

Belt first. He picked up the garter belt and slipped it on, doing it up.

He reconsidered. He should do the suspenders up UNDER his underwear, or he'd have a hell of a time in the bathroom.

He took off the underwear and grabbed the stockings. Instructions said to bunch them in the toe and slide them up over his just shaved legs.

Selphie had fore-warned him that the hair would have to go. He was glad that he didn't have too much for once.

He rolled the stocking on, stood to pull it up his thighs and clipped the three suspenders into it.

He smiled a little, despite himself.

The other one went on even easier. He grabbed his underwear and pulled it back on, it just felt weird to be wearing stockings and suspenders, but even weirder without underwear.

That was the first layer.

He looked at the next part. He wasn't being inflicted with a bra and padding... but apparently water balloons made excellent breasts. Selphie had been talking to Quistis about it.

Though why Quistis would need to know that...

He shook his head. Didn't matter.

Next was the petticoat. Selphie called it tulle and netting. It probably would have itched like hell if not for the stockings.

Over it, over the head, not up the legs, was the skirt. It was blue with yellow lace trim, short trim. Shorter skirt. He felt like he'd flash the world if he bent over.

He probably would. Crouch, not bend.

The top came next. It was low cut, front and back, with sequins and little fake jewels sewn over it. It was formfitting, it was reinforced with boning.

He put it on and did it up. It was snug, but not uncomfortable.

Selphie also had his measurements from somewhere...

He looked through the bottom of the bag and pulled out the make up. It wouldn't cover his tattoo completely, he refused to wear that heavy duty shit, and it wasn't as if everyone wouldn't know who he was anyway.

He wandered out to the bathroom and flicked on the light.

Two in one foundation. He smoothed it on, blended at the neck like Selphie had lectured them two months ago.

He paused and wondered if it was worth it.

Next was faint bronzer on the cheeks, pale blue eye shadow dusted onto his lids and mascara. Selph said his eyelashes were long enough as was, but it was in there, so he might as well use it.

Lipstick just before he went.

He went back out and checked the time. Seven thirty.

He slid on the heeled ankle boots, with their pretty stones, and zipped up the sides. He grabbed the tiara, necklace and clip on earrings. His hair was left loose, the tiara pinned into it. Earrings clipped on, sparkling bright. Necklace around his neck.

He smeared on the lipstick. He didn't looked like him anymore.

He made it back to the bedroom and slid on his kid gloves. Bracelets were snapped over the edges to hold them in place.

He was done. He grabbed his wand and stopped in front of the mirror.

He eyed himself off, just as the doorbell rang.

He hurried over, nearly fell and caught himself, then hurried on, opening the door.

Seifer looked down on him.

He looked Seifer up and down.

His boots were green with pink, his skirt and top the same pale green with pink lace. His gloves were pink, his jewellery silver and emerald and his wand; elegantly shoved into the belt of his skirt, the same as Zell's in green, pink and silver, rather than blue, yellow and gold.

They stared each other in the made up eye and started laughing.

"Oh chicken wuss, what beautiful fairies we make," Seifer choked out.

"I resent that," Zell laughed. "We're not any common fairies. We're magical fairy princesses."

Seifer offered Zell his arm and they laughed their way to the party.


End file.
